There seems to be considerable consensus building that the Pittsburgh Pirates will select Deven Merrero in the 2012 Rule IV draft. Merrero is a shortstop out of Arizona State who has a legit glove, but a weak bat. Now I could make the case on why I think they shouldn’t take him, but it’s already been made in it’s entirety.
Dr. Strangeglove has put to shame anything I could say on the subject, and it’s 100% correct. Click here to read it, but please come back.
Good stuff huh? I knew you’d come back though. They always come back.
He doesn’t hit. He has only hit when he had a pretty unsustainable BAbip. There are really two very bad things in play here from the draft Merrero crowd. The first one is drafting for need in general. Drafting for need is what suckers do. It’s a bad idea in most sports, its an extremely bad idea in baseball. Merrero is probably three years out. Who knows what the Pirates will need then?
Alen Hanson and Drew Maggi both have at least the same chances of becoming players as Merrero.
The second is even worse then just drafting for need, it’s reaching for need. Remember Tony Sanchez? That was a reach, and the Pirates are paying for it right now. Sure there is a chance Sanchez can become a Major League regular, but the ship is pretty far from the dock on him being a superstar, something you want from the fourth pick in the draft. Marrero will go in the first fifteen picks, that doesn’t make him the right guy though.
You fill needs via trade and free agency. You draft the best player available. If it’s a pitcher, it’s a pitcher.
